According to Google, Cloud 9 is a state of perfect happiness. And, that’s exactly how Mori was feeling when she returned from their honeymoon.
“Welcome home, Mrs. Avery,” Crenshaw said as he opened the front door.
Mori smiled, “Welcome home, Mr. Avery.”
After a week in Bali, she was glad to be home to start her new life with Crenshaw. The entire trip she prayed they would be blessed with a long, peaceful life. Something, she didn’t think about doing when she married Kyris.
“Feels good to be home,” Crenshaw said as he set the luggage down by the front door. “That flight wore me out. All I want to do is get some sleep.”
“Sleep?” Mori shot her husband a quick look. “I was about to jump in the shower.
And, I was hoping you would join me,” she said with a wink.
“Say no more,” Crenshaw replied.
The long hot shower led to them passing out naked, cradled in each other’s arms on the bed. The twenty-one hours they spent on the flight, was more than either one of them could handle. Cuddled in each other arms, they slept the evening, night, and day away.
The sound of the doorbell, roused Mori out of a deep sleep. Unsure what day or time it was, she grabbed her phone off the nightstand. “Oh my God!” She couldn’t believe they had been asleep two whole days.
Mori looked over at Crenshaw who was still fast asleep. The doorbell rang again. She figured whoever was at the door, knew they were back and wasn’t leaving until she answered. She climbed out of bed to greet whoever was insisting on ringing the doorbell before they woke up Crenshaw.
She grabbed her robe off the chair and made her way to the front door. She checked the monitor before opening the door, to see her three besties standing there. “Figures,” she sighed.
“My God the dead has arisen,” Donovan laughed when she opened the door.
“I thought I was going to have to use the emergency code to get in here to check on you guys,” Torren chimed in.
“Well, are you going to let us in,” Trent asked. “You’ve been home two days, and no one has heard a word from you.”
Mori shook her head, then stepped back for them to come in. It wasn’t much she could say because they were absolutely right. Mori and Crenshaw had arrived home Friday evening around 6, and it was now Sunday evening. 7:41 pm to be exact. Jet lag had kicked their butts in more ways than one.
She watched as her besties headed to the kitchen with wine bottles in hand. “Thank you guys for coming by to check on us. We’ve been sleep since we got back.”
“I told you nothing was wrong,” Torren said as he rolled his eyes at Donovan and Trent. “I slept three days after flying home from Japan.”
“You slept three days after driving from Kentucky,” Trent laughed.
Mori was killing herself laughing at the three of them. She didn’t realize how much she missed her besties after a week apart. “Well, thank you guys for coming over to check on us.”
“You’re welcome,” Donovan told her. “Now, what did you bring me back?”
“Really?” Mori shook her head, but she was prepared. She grabbed the bag of souvenirs out her suitcase, she picked up from the hotel’s gift shop. “Take your pick,” she said as she sat the bag on the kitchen counter.
“Really? How impersonal,” Trent gasped. “But, thank you.”
“Y’all make me sick,” she laughed.
“The feeling is mutual,” Torren shot back. “Now where are the little bottles of lotion and shampoo from the hotel?”
Mori shook her head at them. She was supposed to be cuddled up in bed with her husband, and not entertaining her best friends. But, the impromptu visit from her besties reminded her she had gone two days without eating. While her besties argued over the souvenirs, she called her mom at the restaurant to place an order.
“My, my, my. I haven’t heard from you in the two days you’ve been back. Now, thirty minutes before we close you want me to fix enough food for you, Crenshaw, and those three knuckleheads?”
“Yes mam!”
“Humph,” her mom said. “I’ll see you guys in a few.”
“Yes. Come through Auntie,” Torren yelled.
While they waited for her mom to deliver the food, the four of them sat around in the family room laughing and talking. An hour later, her mom arrived with the food. The aroma of food aroused Crenshaw from a deep sleep. “How long have I been asleep,” he asked as he wrapped his arms around Mori.
“Too long,” Mori replied as she fixed his plate.
Mori smiled as she watched her favorite people in the whole world sitting around, eating, talking junk and laughing. She was on Cloud 9 times ten. A feeling she prayed would last forever.
***
Two weeks later, Mori was finally back in the swing of things. And, finally fully recovered from her honeymoon except for the touch of nausea.
“Listen, I understand your concerns. But, leave those concerns to me and my team,” Mori stated. “I guarantee you by the time we finish with your company, you will be the center of attention.” And, just like that Mori acquired a million-dollar deal for her company.
“Sis, you pulled it off,” Donovan told her when they finished the conference call. “We need to go get drinks to celebrate. I’ll clear our schedules for the afternoon.”
“I agree, but I’ll have to pass on the drinks.”
“What? You think it’s too early in the day for a celebratory cocktail. It’s already noon.”
“Yes,” she smiled. “But, I do need you to clear my schedule this afternoon.”
“Sure. But, why may I ask. You know I’m nosey.”
“Well, Mr. Nosey,” she chuckled, “I’m cooking dinner for my husband. I have a little surprise for him.”
Donovan lowered his glasses, “Hmm.”
“Hmm, what?”
“Girl, you could have been more creative than dinner to tell Crenshaw you’re pregnant.”
Mori snapped her head around in Donovan’s direction. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“How did you know?”
“I’m Donovan. I know everything.”
Mori cocked her head to the side. “Really.”
He started laughing. “Sissy, you’ve been sick for the last two weeks since you returned from your honeymoon. Now you’re turning down cocktails, napping during lunch, and all of a sudden you hate the smell of coffee. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out.”
“You make me sick.”
“No, that little chalupa is making you sick,” he said as he pointed at her stomach.
Mori should have known she couldn’t keep anything from Donovan. Especially something as big as her being pregnant. She was just hoping that Crenshaw hadn’t caught on. By the time she was hurling over the commode in the mornings, he had already left for work.
“So, how are you going to break the news to my brother-in-law? And, for God’s sake please don’t use the uncreative dinner with baby back ribs and baby shrimp.”
“Then what?” Mori had a hint of attitude in her voice because that’s exactly what she had planned.
“Leave it to Uncle Donnie.” He handed her, her purse. “I’m text T & T to meet us at Hobby Lobby.”
Mori didn’t argue and followed Donovan out the office.
***
Mori couldn’t contain her excitement, when she heard Crenshaw coming in the house. She was grateful that her besties came through to help her create the perfect way to tell Crenshaw about their little chalupa.
“Hey Babe,” Crenshaw said as he walked in the kitchen. He looked worn out from working 12 hours the last 7 days. Mori was relieved that he was off the next 3 days, that way he could get some rest.
“Hi, Mr. Avery,” Mori said playfully as she handed him his favorite beer. “How was your day?”
“Long,” he replied as he kissed her on the cheek. “How was your day?”
“Good. Guess what?”
“What,” he said as he took a swig of the beer.
“I got the deal,” she said as she did a little dance in front of him.
“You did? Of course you did. Congratulations, Babe.” He sat the beer on the counter and wrapped his arms around her. “Listen, I’m going to go jump in the shower and when I finish we’re going to celebrate.”
“Good because I have another surprise for you.”
“Well let me hurry up,” he said as he smacked her on the butt and headed down the hall.
As, Mori finished setting everything up, a feeling of déjà vu came over her. The last time she prepared a special evening to tell her husband she was having his baby, he shot her. “Get it together, Mori,” she said to herself. Thinking about that night wasn’t healthy for her or her little chalupa. To clear her mind, she turned on Beyoncé’s Brown Skin Girl and danced around the kitchen. I hope it’s a girl, she thought to herself as she sang along with Bey.
Mori had just finished setting up everything, when Crenshaw came up the hall.
“What’s all of this?”
“Just a little something for you.”
“We’re supposed to be celebrating you.”
“Actually, we’re celebrating each other.” She handed him a cake box. Donovan managed to get his baker to make a cake in the shape of a baby with the words Coming Soon.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.”
Crenshaw set the box on the counter. When he opened it up, he just stared at it. Mori didn’t know what to think. For a moment, she thought he was disappointed. Then he looked up with a huge smile on his face, “Is this for real?”
Mori nodded as tears started forming in her eyes. Crenshaw wrapped his arms around her. “We’re having a baby,” he said with excitement.
Crenshaw’s reaction was the reaction she thought Kyris would have had that night. It was strange how during one of the happiest moments of her life, she was thinking about one of the worst moments of her life.
The excitement didn’t stop between them because as they were celebrating, Mori’s phone rang. It was her mom.
“Hello.” Mori’s voice was drenched with excitement.
“Hey Baby Girl. You sound mighty chipper.”
Mori smiled as she put her mom on speaker phone. She had sworn Donovan to secrecy and threatened to take away his trip to Paris for fashion week with their new client. And, she knew he wasn’t going to past that opportunity up.
“I am.” She paused before shouting, “You’re going to be a Glam-Ma.”
All they heard from her mom was screaming. Mori couldn’t make out what her mom was saying, but she was pretty sure she was trying to say, “We’re having a baby.” Once her mom settled down from the excitement, she told them the reason she was calling. “I didn’t want you guys to hear it on social media,” Lori sighed. “They just finished the investigation into Kyris’ death.”
Mori wasn’t sure where her mom was going with the conversation, but she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to like it.
Lori let out another big sigh, “He was murdered. The autopsy revealed large amounts of phenobarbital in his system.”
Mori gasped because she still wasn’t sure what that meant. Or, even what that had to do with her. The only thing she knew was phenobarbital was a sedative they had prescribed to her after she was shot.
“Mo did you hear me,” Lori asked.
“I did.” She looked at Crenshaw, “Are you serious?”
“Yes. Tanya and I are headed over to Tina’s now. This hit her like a ton of bricks all over again. At first, they thought he just had a heart attack or something, but now,” Lori paused.
“I get it. But, what?”
“They have a suspect in custody.”
“Who?”
“Another inmate. I think Tina said his name was Oakland.”
Mori paused for a moment, before asking “Oakland Avery?”
“Yeah that’s it.”
“Mom, let me call you back.” All of a sudden, there was a knot in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t know what to think. Oakland Avery was Crenshaw’s cousin, who was serving time in the same prison as Kyris. She didn’t want to think what she was thinking, but she couldn’t shake the feeling she had. Mori looked at Crenshaw, “Did you…” she couldn’t finish the question. The words seemed to get caught in her throat.
Crenshaw didn’t say a word. He just stared at her with this look on his face, a look that she hadn’t seen before.
“Did you have him…” she stopped again because the thought of Crenshaw having Kyris killed, tore her up inside.
“No,” he replied.
“Thank god,” she sighed
“I just told him to handle the situation for me.” Crenshaw seemed cold as he spoke.
“Why did you do that,” she screamed. Mori was in disbelief. She felt as if she didn’t know Crenshaw at all.
“Why? He tried to kill you!” The anger was building in his voice. “You thought I was going to sit back and wait for him to try it again. Especially after you wrote that letter.”
Mori stepped back from him when he tried to touch her. “Don’t touch me!”
“Baby don’t do this. I didn’t tell Oakland to kill him. I just told him to fix it so he wouldn’t be granted parole.”
She tried to get the words out, but she couldn’t. Crenshaw made another attempt to touch her, but she backed away from him again.
“Come on Mori. Don’t do this.”
“Do what? Why didn’t you just leave it alone? Why,” she screamed.
Crenshaw just stared at her. He knew her getting upset wasn’t good for her or the baby. Truth was, everything he had done was to protect her. He knew if Kyris was released from prison, he could possibly ruin the best thing that ever happened to him.
What Mori didn’t know was Oakland had sent a message to Crenshaw that Kyris said when he got out, he was going to kill him and Mori. It was no way Crenshaw was going to let that happen.
“Get out,” Mori yelled as she tried to pull herself together.
“Are you serious?” He was confused. They promised to always work things out with each other. No matter what.
“Yes! I need time to think. I need…” she looked around the room. She didn’t know what she needed. All she knew was everything wasn’t perfectly fine. It was far from it.
***
Crenshaw left reluctantly. Leaving Mori at the house alone wasn’t what he wanted to do, so he sent The Three Musketeers, a message to go over to the house to be with her. He knew they would be able to give her the comfort that she refused from him.
It was never Crenshaw’s intention for Kyris to die. When he learned Kyris was dead, he was taken back as well. He thought his cousin would simply plant something on him that would get Kyris’ parole revoked. He never thought Kyris would die.
Then, when they were checking out the wedding venue a few days before the wedding, Oakland sent a message for him to come down to the prison. “What’s going,” Crenshaw asked when Oakland sat down.
“Listen, they’re doing an investigation into old boy’s death. If they trace it back to me, I just need you to make sure you keep money on my books. And, make sure my mom is straight.”
“I got you.”
“I know you do cuz, I just needed to hear you say it. You can call us even at this point,” Oakland told him.
Ever since that meeting, Crenshaw had been waiting for the ball to drop. He didn’t ask Oakland why or how he managed to kill Kyris. His cousin was ex-military like Kyris, so he knew he had ways to get the job done.
Instead of going to get a motel room like he planned, Crenshaw headed over to his father-in-law’s house. Maybe he could understand where he was coming from when it came to protecting Mori. When he pulled up in the yard, Morris was sitting on the side porch. The smell of Mary Jane filled the air.
“Man, I thought you was the police when you pulled up in my yard like that,” Morris laughed as Crenshaw sat down. “What’s on your mind?”
Crenshaw didn’t know how to tell his father-in-law what was going on, so he just reached down in the cooler and grabbed a beer. Telling Morris about Kyris wasn’t going to be easy as he thought.
After a few minutes of sitting in silence and finishing off his blunt, Morris looked over at his son-in-law. “He had it coming.”
“Huh,” Crenshaw replied.
“Kyris. You took care of him, right?”
“You know?”
“I know Oakland is your cousin. And, it doesn’t take long to put two and two together.”
Crenshaw took a huge gulp of his beer. “You think they will figure out I had something to do with it. I can’t leave Mori and the baby.”
Morris almost choked on the blunt when Crenshaw said baby. “Probably. But, if he gave you his word to keep quiet, I believe he’s going to stick to it.”
“I know, but it may not be up to him, if the cops put two and two together.”
“They probably will, but a man with life has nothing to lose. So, he’s going to keep his word.” Morris passed Crenshaw the blunt. “Here clear your mind. And, just sit back and wait for the chips to fall where they may.”
***
“Do you think he actually told Oakland to kill Kyris,” Trent asked.
Mori shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t know what to think. Truth was Kyris was dead because her husband asked for a favor from his cousin. In some ways she felt responsible for it all. She did write the letter to the parole board to have Kyris released early.
“Why the hell are you so bothered that the man who tried to kill you is dead? Hell, I want to send Oakland a thank you note,” Donovan spat.
“I know that’s right,” Torren said. “Mori, how I see it, it’s karma. Kyris simply reaped what he sowed. You call it PTSD. I call it crazy. Either way I’m glad his ass is dead.”
Mori heard everything they were saying. But, it still felt wrong. Just then she got a text from Crenshaw. I love you! A smile ran across her face because she knew whatever his intentions were, he did it because he loved her.
I love you too!!!!!
A few minutes later she seemed to come around, and she was laughing and talking with her besties. The thought of Crenshaw having something to do with Kyris’ death seemed to fade away until the doorbell rang. When she opened the door, Detective Monica West was standing there. Mori’s heart dropped. She figured they were there to arrest Crenshaw, until she said, “Mori Avery, you are under arrest for conspiracy in the death of Kyris Rhodes.”
“What the hell,” Donovan spat as he rushed to the door. “You know damn well she didn’t have anything to do with Kyris’ death.”
“Donovan, you need to step back,” Monica told him. “Mori Avery, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do, can and will be held against you in a court of law.” As Monica read her, her rights, Mori’s heart started racing.
“Call Crenshaw,” Mori said as they put her in handcuffs.
“On it now,” Trent replied.
“And, I’m calling Michaela,” Torren replied. Michaela was Crenshaw’s cousin, a defense attorney.
Mori had this feeling that happiness wasn’t in the cards for her as the police car door closed. And, the feeling of being on Cloud 9 was no longer around. And, everything was definitely not perfectly fine.
